


All I Want For Christmas

by Anonymous



Category: Knight & Rogue - Hilari Bell
Genre: Christmas, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-21
Updated: 2014-12-21
Packaged: 2018-03-02 14:52:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2816123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Fisk/Michael. Fisk & Michael being excited to celebrate Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I Want For Christmas

** December 18 **

Fisk knew he was in trouble as soon as he stepped into the apartment. 

He’d been at the store, stocking up on all the basic necessities that Michael never seemed to remember when he went out (they’d been out of milk for days before Fisk realized it). Michael would come back from the store with a Batman-themed birthday cake and some cock-and-bull story about how he’d managed to spend actual money on that instead of real food, usually a story including but not limited to lost five year olds and old women in need of assistance. Fisk had long since given up. He ended up convincing Michael that it was in the better interests of both of them for Fisk to handle any and all affairs involving money. Therefore, Fisk did the shopping. Michael insisted on taking charge of the cooking since he’d long since deemed Fisk hopeless. Fisk would never say it out loud, but he didn’t half mind this setup— Michael was pretty good at cooking and besides, having spent his entire childhood in a cramped town house with a barely functioning microwave, he liked being cooked for. What he didn’t like, however, were surprises. 

So when Fisk pushed open the door of the apartment he and Michael shared, the first thing that popped into his head as he took in his surroundings was Oh, gods.

The air smelled like cookies. Cookies. Home-baked hell, in Fisk’s opinion. But that wasn’t even the most concerning part. Someone had decorated the apartment. Every piece of furniture was draped in gold tinsel and fake greenery that was already shedding plastic needles onto the carpet. A huge box sat in the corner of the living room and an actual wreath hung above the TV.

None of this had been here when Fisk had left that morning for a lecture. 

Fisk let the door slam behind him and dropped the groceries onto the nearest table. “Michael, what have you done?”

A muffled clang came from the kitchen and Fisk waited until Michael appeared in the doorway. Fisk stifled a laugh at his friend’s appearance. Michael’s t-shirt and jeans were covered in sugar and egg yolk, powdered sugar smeared one cheek, and his hair had steaks of flour in it. He looked, in general, like he had just lost a fight with a cake, aided by his abashed and vaguely alarmed expression. “You’re… um, you’re home early,” he stated pointlessly, his cheeks turning red. “I wasn’t finished.”

"What were you doing?" Fisk pressed, torn between annoyance and amusement at the state of the apartment. 

"Uh…" Michael’s cheeks darkened. "Well, Hector from upstairs gave us a box full of extra Christmas decorations that he said he didn’t need anymore and then I remembered that Christmas is in a week and we haven’t done anything yet so I thought I might decorate and start getting ready to surprise you when you came home and I even started making cookies and everything but then you came back early and…" He sighed and, if possible, turned even redder. "I’m sorry. I’ll take it down." He used the back of his hand to scrub sugar off his face as his gaze fell to the floor. 

Amusement won out and a smile slowly split Fisk’s face. “Mike, you idiot, you should’ve waited for me to get back. This place is a mess. You might be good at cooking, but you have no eye for interior decorating.”

Michael’s involuntary glare at Fisk’s use of the nickname he hated most melted into his own strangely adorable brand of puzzlement. “You’re not… mad or anything?”

"No, I’m not." Which he wasn’t. Oddly enough, considering that he hadn’t even been planning on celebrating Christmas this year. And yet one look at Michael’s open, pleading face melted his desire to spend the holiday season alone in his room like he had before.

Gods help him. Michael must be making him soft. 

Fisk grabbed the groceries and started towards the kitchen, nudging Michael as he passed. “Come on. I’ll put the food away while you clean, then I’ll give you a hand with the decorating.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Michael follow with a bemused grin that made something in Fisk’s chest turn warm and loose. Gods help me. 

 

* * *

 

** December 20 **

"This… was… a terrible idea," Fisk groaned, struggling with the weight of of the top half of the Christmas tree that their neighbor had given them. 

"Don’t be so pessimistic," Michael replied with characteristic brightness as he settled the bottom half of the tree in its stand. "Hand me that piece you’re holding."

Fisk surrendered it, noting with some satisfaction that even Michael staggered under its weight. He also noticed the way Michael’s arm muscles strained under his baggy MCR t-shirt and the way the ponytail his longish brown hair was pulled into accentuated his godlike cheekbones and no, he definitely was not staring at his best friend’s ass or anything because that would be… Fisk could practically hear his older sister Judith admonishing him, “You need to work on your timing, little brother. Use your upstairs brain.” He hurriedly set to picking the tiny fake needles out of the carpet to hide his reddened face as Michael finished setting up the tree. 

Fisk had known Michael for three years ever since they were put in a dorm together in freshman year of college, and he’d been nursing an awkward crush on the other boy for nearly that long. The two of them were like oil and water, Michael’s innocence and idealism clashing with Fisk’s cynical pessimism. They argued often and hadn’t really gotten along in the beginning, yet Michael had somehow ended up becoming the best friend Fisk had ever had— and, Fisk suspected, vice versa. It was for that reason that Fisk refused to tell Michael about his… feelings for him. Neither of them had ever really had much in life and Fisk would be damned if he let this slip away from him too. No, it was better for Michael not to know. Which meant that Fisk needed to stop thinking about kissing him in his presence. 

"Hey." Michael’s face appeared in Fisk’s field of vision, grinning. "Don’t pick those up by hand, it’ll take forever."

Forcing his mind off how close Michael’s face is to his, Fisk shook out his palm full of fake needles onto the carpet and stood up. “Fine. You’re vacuuming.”

"Are you kidding me? I just set up the entire tree!"

"I helped!"

"It doesn’t count if you were complaining the entire time."

"That’s idiotic. I still contributed."

"Well…" a grin crept over Michael’s face, "why don’t you contribute more by vacuuming up this mess you made?"

Fisk rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot and I hate you.”

Michael smiled triumphantly, sensing a rare victory, and sauntered off to his room. “Oh, come on. You know you love me!” he shouted over his shoulder. 

Fisk laughed, but there was a hollow note in it as he tried not to think about how stupidly ironic the statement was. 

 

* * *

 

** December 22 **

"So let me get this straight… it’s three days before Christmas and you still haven’t bought your crush a present yet?"

"Shut up," Fisk snarled into the phone as he steered the shopping cart down the narrow aisle. "What do you think I’m doing now? And keep your voice down!"

"We’re on the phone, Nonny. Nobody’s going to hear me." His younger sister Lissy’s voice was too amused for his liking. 

"Shut up. And stop calling me Nonny, all right? I stopped liking that nickname when I was five." He slowed to examine a CD and shifted the phone to his other ear. "So are you guys flying out here or what?"

He could almost hear Lissy rolling her eyes. “Yes. Anna and Max argued about it for a bit but Max finally gave in. He’s coming too.” His sister’s voice dropped a bit as she relayed the last piece of news. 

Fisk winced at the sound of his brother-in-law’s name. “Are Anna’s kids coming too? Rebecca and Thomas?”

"Yeah. They’re so excited. It’s adorable."

"Then I can put up with Max for a few days." Fisk smiled at the thought of his little niece and nephew, who somehow, despite their asshole of a father, actually ended up liking Fisk. He didn’t get to see them often, but he always loved it when he did. 

"Okay, then. It’s settled." Satisfaction rang in Lissy’s voice. "Is Michael inviting anyone?"

"Just his sister." Which Fisk was immensely grateful for. He had met Kathryn only twice but took a liking to her; she, unlike Michael, was practical beyond her years but shared her older brother’s intelligence and charm. The rest of Michael’s family… Suffice it to say that Fisk had only met Michael’s father once and once was quite enough for him. The man had disowned Michael simply because he didn’t want to take on the family business and Fisk definitely hated him for that. The fact that upon first meeting Fisk, Michael’s father had looked him up and down, sniffed, "Street scum,"and left did not help matters. With a father like that and a mother who seemed totally indifferent, Fisk thanked the gods that at least Michael and Kathy had turned out all right. 

"Michael has a sister? I don’t think I’ve met her yet. I’ll look forward to it."

"Don’t worry, she’s nice. I think she’s around your age, too. I’m sure you’ll like…" Fisk’s voice trailed off, his eyes suddenly drawn to an item thrown carelessly onto one of the shelves. "Lis, I’m gonna have to call you back later."

"Um… okay? Bye, Nonny."

Fisk hung up and shoved the phone into his pocket as he picked up the item and examined it. A smile spread over his face and something in his chest warmed as he imagined the look on Michael’s face as he opened it. Perfect. 

 

* * *

 

** December 24 **

"Michael, come on. Everything’s fine."

"Are you sure? I have the strangest feeling that I forgot something. Where’s the food?"

"In the fridge. Anna’s bringing the turkey."

"What about the tree? Does it look okay?"

"Yes, Michael, it looks great. Everything looks great." Fisk suppressed a smile as he watched Michael pace anxiously up and down the living room from his vantage point on the couch. 

Michael huffed out a breath and stalked over to sit next to Fisk. “Sorry. I’m not really used to this whole thing.”

"You and me both," Fisk replied, leaning on Michael’s shoulder in what he hoped seemed like a fraternal manner. "I never really did Christmas when I was little. My family’s financial state didn’t really lend itself to presents and fake trees and turkeys and shit."

Michael sighed and a sad smile drifted over his face. “I tried. At least for Kathy’s sake. Once our brothers went to college and it was just the two of us, we celebrated on our own. But it was never really the same. Our parents thought we were being silly.” His voice trailed off and he sighed again, running a hand through his hair.

"I’m glad we’re doing this," Fisk blurted out. "You and me. I mean, if this is my first real Christmas, I’m glad it’s with you." Shit, shit, did I just say that out loud? 

Michael looked surprised for a moment, but then his face melted into a smile. Gently, he extracted the arm that Fisk was leaning on and settled it around Fisk’s shoulders. “So am I,” Michael replied as Fisk struggled to keep his heart from racing. “In fact, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

_I wouldn’t have it any other way_. For some reason, those simple seven words warmed Fisk more than the fire in their small electric fireplace ever could. Slowly, he managed to relax onto Michael’s shoulder and the arm around his shoulders. 

_ I’m in love with my best friend, I think. But even if I can’t be with him the way I want to be, this is enough. This is enough. _

 

* * *

 

** December 25 **

Michael nudged Fisk with his foot. “Admit it. This was a great idea.”

Fisk smiled. “Fine. I can’t argue with that. This was a pretty great idea.”

The two of them were sitting side by side on the couch, watching chaos unfold around them. Thomas and Rebecca both had wrapping paper in their hair, giggling madly as their mother chased them around the room. Max was sitting on the floor, watching his wife and children with an expression of pure affection that made Fisk almost forgive his being an annoying prick. Almost. Judith was standing in the corner, her normally severe face softened into a smile as she watched her family. Lissy and Kathryn were sitting on the floor, chatting animatedly about books. Fisk was right— they had bonded. 

Looking around the room, Fisk could hardly remember being happier. 

And now that his sisters were distracted… Fisk reached behind a couch pillow and pulled out a small package wrapped in gold paper. He handed it to Michael. “Here. Merry Christmas.”

A smile spread over Michael’s face as he took it. “I almost thought you’d forgotten about me! Your present’s still in my room. I’ll grab it.” He started to rise. 

Fisk grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “I can wait. Open yours first.”

Michael shrugged, a smile curling up one side of his mouth as he carefully tore open the package. His expression became vaguely bemused as he held up the cassette player and tape inside. 

Fisk cleared his throat, suddenly uncomfortable. “I… uh, I made you a mixtape. I know that’s sort of lame but I thought you’d like it because you keep complaining that your car only has a cassette player and you don’t own any tapes-“

"Fisk." Michael’s hand closed over his and Fisk glanced into the other man’s eyes. "I love it. I really do. And there’s something I want to tell you."

Mouth suddenly dry at the intensity of Michael’s gaze and his tone and oh gods was it an accident that Michael was practically holding his hand, Fisk nodded. “What?”

"I…" Michael glanced away, but his hand shifted until it was intertwined with Fisk’s. Fisk glanced down at their hands, shock at this new development buzzing so loudly in his brain that he almost missed Michael’s next words. "I know I should have told you this sooner and I’m sorry to drop this on you because I don’t think you feel the same but… I like you, Fisk. As more than a friend, I mean."

Fisk looked up so quickly his neck cracked, half believing he was still in bed and dreaming as Michael looked down to avoid his eyes and plowed on. “I know I sound like a complete idiot right now and this isn’t really how I planned to tell you but… I’ve had a crush on you ever since I first met you and I didn’t want to tell you because you’re my best friend and I don’t ever want that to change but I figured you should know. I’m… I’m kind of in love with you, Fisk.” Michael finally looked up to meet Fisk’s gaze, his eyes ashamed and relieved and pleading at the same time. 

Time stopped and Fisk didn’t notice that the rest of the room had fallen silent and was staring at the two of them. I’m kind of in love with you. That was all that mattered. 

"Michael Sevenson, you idiot," Fisk managed before leaning forward and kissing his best friend on the lips. 

Everything faded— Anna’s gasp, Judith’s astonished laughter, Lissy and Kathryn cheering. Fisk’s entire world was focused on Michael’s lips on his, Michael’s fingers tangling themselves in Fisk’s hair, Fisk’s hand on the back of Michael’s neck and gods, how had Fisk ever lived without him? 

The kiss only lasted a few seconds but it felt like an eternity had passed when they finally separated. Michael’s eyes were a little dazed. “You mean, you-” he began, voice hoarse. 

"Yeah," Fisk replied just as quietly. 

"All this time?"

"Yeah."

"I’m an idiot."

Fisk smiled, feeling so light that he might float away. “I think we both are.” He was leaning in to kiss Michael again when a couch pillow hit him on the side of the face. 

"Enough PDA, you two." Kathryn’s words were stern but the huge grin on her face gave her away. Lissy looked smug and for some reason or another, Judith couldn’t stop laughing. Anna was covering her kids’ eyes, trying not to smile, and Max looked vaguely disapproving. 

Fisk looked back at Michael, who was blushing crimson and grinning. He smiled and kissed Michael’s forehead. “I think I can get used to this Christmas thing,” he announced. 


End file.
